The Ultimate Guide for
Picking The Best Elopement
Locations In California

Yosemite National Park

An absolutely mesmerizing place, and a national park that should be on everyone’s list (in my opinion). It’s honestly difficult to come up with the right words to describe such a place. Yosemite is known for amazing hikes, views, waterfalls, towering 3,000 ft tall granite cliffs, and giant sequoia trees. The scenery here is almost painterly. There’s a lot to see here: Half Dome, Tunnel View, El Cap, Taft Point, Valley floor, and Vernal Falls… You may even spot some black bears! The dreamy and mystical sunrises and sunsets here are ones you’ll always dream about. All these factors make Yosemite a perfect and memorable place to get married.

Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Canyon National Park is the sister park to Sequoia National Park! This park is worth a visit separately or in conjunction with other stops in the area. Redwood Canyon, located within the bounds of the park, has insanely tall and plentiful old-growth sequoia trees and is a great hike. From backpacking and camping, to scenic drives or horseback rides, this park has some great options for things to do. This would be an excellent pick for a chill elopement where you just want to feel in awe of nature and take things slowly. 

Big Sur

Picture rocky seaside cliffs, dense green forest hikes, fields of wild succulents, and endless beaches to explore up and down the coast. You may recognize the iconic sunset photos at Pfeiffer Beach. I recommend staying in a yurt or “human nest” at Treebones Resort to really top off your Big Sur experience. Amazing year-round

Mount Tamalpais

Mt. Tam is a stunning area just outside of San Francisco that has so much variety. You can go from wildflowers and bay vistas, to incredibly tall trees and mossy rocks, to watching the sunset over the foggy valley below. With plenty of hiking trails that will lead you either through eucalyptus-scented groves or to seasonal spots like Carson Falls, it’s impossible to get a bad view here. This is also a great choice for a two-day elopement due to how beautiful everything in this area is and the plentiful camping sites!

Mammoth

About 45 minutes south of Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes is an area not to be missed! Mammoth Mountain offers year-round skiing and Rainbow Falls is a 101-ft fall that ends in a swimming hole. The Inyo Craters are deep, lake-filled craters in the earth from steam explosions in the 14th century, providing deeply cool viewpoints. If you want a view of lake, forest, and mountain all in one go, Lake Mary is also a great pick. Or, visit Devils Postpile National Monument, which doubles as a section of the famous Pacific Crest Trail for a super memorable story. You can either camp here or stay in one of the many resorts nearby–the choice is yours.

Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes National Seashore is one of many Bay Area gems in California! This protected area sports rolling green hills, cliff-lined beaches, wildlife like elephant seals, and even a historic lighthouse. If you’re the hiking type, you can make the trek to Alamere Falls or up to the top of Mount Wittenberg. If not, hit the beach and look up at the sheer rock faces around you and soak in the surf and sand. This is all located about an hour’s drive from San Francisco that takes you through some seriously stunning locations along the way!

Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park is one of those places that’s impossible to overhype. Walking through these trees that are so old and so tall is an experience that can only be described as spiritual. Saying your vows in a quite literally ancient ecosystem with the trees as your witnesses is about as far from a big wedding as you can get. This is a truly awe-inspiring spot for your elopement. You can easily spend a whole day here, or you can head to the nearby coast to really complete the theme of feeling miniature in the face of our beautiful planet.

Sequoia National Park

If you want to spend your elopement among the trees, this is the right place! Sequoia National Park (and its sister park, Kings Canyon) sports some of the oldest and largest Sequoia trees in the world. Whether you’re hiking, biking, or horseback riding through the groves, this is a great way to put it all in perspective and feel truly awe-struck during your elopement. Saying your vows with centuries old trees as your witness… what could be better? There are also great scenic drives through these parks if you’re not into the idea of hiking on your wedding day. Bonus—this park has a year-round lodge that will let you stay close to the action without sleeping in a tent, if that’s not your speed.  

San Francisco

San Francisco is the city that keeps on giving. A little bit PNW, a little bit SoCal, there’s no way to go wrong in the bay area. Into the water? Take a scenic boat trip around the bay, check out the stunning vistas of and from the city’s bridges, or venture just a bit north into Point Reyes National Seashore. Rather be ensconced on land? Spend the day getting lost amongst the trees in Muir Woods National Monument, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, or Mount Tamalpais State Park. More of a city person? There’s no better place. Start your morning at the pier watching sea lions, pop through a (fully playable!) vintage arcade museum, go dim sum sampling in Chinatown, and end your day in a glitzy downtown spot for dinner and drinks. No matter what your dream elopement is, you can have it here. The Palace of Fine Arts and City Hall both boast incredible architecture in the heart of the city!

Joshua Tree National Park

While Joshua Tree is a rock climbing mecca, it offers more than just that– amazing rocky desert landscape filled with captivating Joshua Trees, this landscape is so unique and would make for an amazing elopement location. As a bonus: there are so many awesome vacation rentals surrounding it, and nearby Palm Springs would make for a sweet honeymoon spot.

Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands is a smaller, less frequented National Park, despite it’s prime location just off the coast of Santa Barbara (and with a port under two hours from downtown Los Angeles). Likely due to the fact that this incredible group of islands is only accessible via boat! Ferries specializing in round trips to the islands have tickets available year-round, or, to make your day extra special, charter a private boat for the day that can take you to the park as well as help you island hop in the most relaxing way, no paddling required. If you do want to get into the water, though, snorkeling, surfing, and kayaking are all great options here! Duck in and out of rock arches and navigate around cliffs through the clear waters of the Pacific while taking in wildlife like seals, sea lions, and pelicans. The vistas here are exactly what you’d want and expect—rocky ridges looking out into the ocean flanked by fields of wildflowers and abundant California beauty. 

San Diego

If you want the vibes of SoCal but with the beach town vibes cranked to the max, San Diego is absolutely a place you should check out. Balboa Park is home to some truly beautiful architecture and there’s nothing like a sailboat tour through the bay for views of the entire skyline. Nearby, the Point Loma Lighthouse is a dramatic landmark right next to the water. Tidepooling, cliffside sunsets, and sea cave exploring are all at their peak here. This is all about two hours south of LA by car!

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe has a reputation as being INCREDIBLY blue, and I’m here to tell you it’s not just talk. This lake is (scientifically!) home to some insanely clear turquoise waters that make it one of the purest lakes in the world. There is no shortage of options for an elopement here. Get out on the water in a sailboat, go waterfall hunting, explore Emerald Bay State Park, or head down any of the super picturesque trails around here to get views of water, mountains, and trees all in one image. This is some of California (and Nevada!) at its best.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Not far from the beauty of Mount and Lake Shasta, Lassen Volcanic National Park has been going strong for over 100 years. Paddle around Manzanita Lake in a kayak and take in views of Lassen Peak—a nearly 10,500 ft tall active dome volcano that fuels hydrothermal areas around the park. The scenic highways in the park are great, letting you cruise through the scenery and pull off when you see something that you’d like to get a closer view of or gaze at a little longer. Stay on site by camping in a cabin, a tent, or at the guest ranch on park grounds and go outside at night for an impeccable view of the stars. 

Palm Springs

If your vibe is colorful, artsy, eclectic, and fun, you will absolutely adore Palm Springs. I love Palm Springs for elopements because, despite having that indie and impossibly cool vibe to everything, it’s also full of resort stays that preserve the feeling while also leaving you totally relaxed and at ease. This town is a super solid blend of recreation and rest! It’s also incredibly stunning, with a thriving wildflower scene, its own aerial tramway that will take you to amazing dining options with a view, and nearby Mount San Jacinto State Park. An elopement day with an architecture tour, fine dining, horseback riding, and canyon exploring? Say no more. With a little more time, you can also tag on Joshua Tree National Park!

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park sits on the border between California and Nevada, just about two hours outside of Las Vegas. Needless to say, this probably isn’t for you if you’re looking for a summer elopement spot! But this is a GREAT spot to visit in the winter, when decreased crowds and decreased temperatures make this park really shine. You can easily make an epic elopement day out here–take in the sunrise over the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, hike through any of the MANY canyons loaded with colorful rocks, and close out your day with world-class stargazing. You can even do a self-guided Star Wars driving tour. Seriously.

Mojave Desert

The Mojave Desert is honestly practically a state of its own. From Death Valley National Park to Joshua Tree National Park to the Mojave National Preserve, this desert sprawls out over four different states and so many genuinely iconic areas. Geographical features like sand dunes and lava tubes, wildlife like tortoises and cactus wrens, and flora like giant saguaros and gnarled Yucca all factor into making this part of the American southwest unlike anywhere else on earth. On the California side, you’ll be bordered by the Sierra Nevada and Santa Monica mountains, giving you great views of way more than just sand and stone. If you’re a space fanatic, you’ll be floored at the views of the stars from here.

Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley

From Sacramento westward into the sea lie two twin counties that hold some of the best wine culture on the planet–Napa and Sonoma. Between the lush vineyards and the rolling green hills, it’s seriously hard to believe that all of this is just north of San Francisco. If you’re a wine lover but don’t want to travel internationally, there’s genuinely no better spot for your elopement day than this. Do a tasting tour, dine at any of many Michelin-star restaurants (like the famous The French Laundry), stay in a resort in the middle of a vineyard, and schedule in some time to dip your feet in the Bodega Bay or pop through any of the dozens of beautiful small towns. The vibe here is slow, luxe, and peaceful. This area also goes great with a two-day general Bay Area elopement!

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is one of those spots that shows you all the bounty of California in one go. From picturesque beaches, to stunning architecture, to overflowing vineyards, this town is beauty after beauty. The historic courthouse is a beautiful Spanish-style building with a clock tower that overlooks the town as well as the incredible grounds. Arroyo Burro Beach County Park sports beautiful wide beaches and rocky cliffs. Goleta Butterfly Grove is a protected home of Monarch butterflies every winter, Montecito Hot Springs are natural hot springs a brisk hike from the trailhead, and the Red Rock Pools along the Santa Ynez River are just a short ways away. Not to mention the super cute State Street that runs through downtown lined with shops and restaurants!

City Hall, San Francisco

San Francisco’s City Hall is so beautiful that it’s home to both big weddings and elopements alike! This is a building that looks more “museum” than “municipal”. From truly grand staircases that lead up to carved white stone walls, to the ornate and gilded front door, to genuinely pretty breathtaking stone, tile, and glasswork everywhere, there’s a reason they call this the People’s Palace! This is a great stop if you love the idea of a venue, but not the idea of paying for one.

PRO TIP:

California is an enormous state that ranges from sandy beaches to old-growth forests to epic mountain peaks— in other words, it’s absolutely overflowing with incredible places for you and your love to adventure together. We mentioned three big, general spots, but don’t worry—we have thousands of location suggestions and ideas for your California elopement. We can’t wait to share them all with you!